Car coupling device



Aug. 30, 1938. R. J. BURROWS ET AL 2,128,397

CAR COUPLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 172 Men 20/15 FODeFZJBM/"W LW @[frecl 0. wc'taam days.

Aug. 30, 1938. R. J. BURROWS ET AL 2,128,397

' CAR COUPLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Kg 50 2g 4/5 1771/6 tons:-

Robe/"(J13 arrows alfreczawzzams Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFEQE CAR COUPLING DEVICE Michigan Application September 28, 1934, Serial No. 745,845

12 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to car coupling devices and has for its principal purpose a provision of new and improved car coupling means particularly adapted for independently supported cars and arranged to connect the cars together so that side sway, rocking, and lurching are materially reduced while accommodating all curvatures and grades in the track.

Our invention is particularly concerned with the provision of coupling means for light weight rail cars for high speed trains having two or more separately supported cars having at least'two trucks for each car, as compared with articulated cars in which three trucks are used to support two cars. According to the principles of our invention, each coupling device is in the nature of a universal joint which permits the cars to go around curves and up and down grades, but if one car should start to rock or sway, or otherwise shift its position laterally or vertically, such movements are resisted by the inertia of the other car, since the only relative movements permitted between the cars is that of swinging about a horizontal or a vertical axis.

Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide coupling means for railway cars in the form of a universal joint which permits the cars so connected to swing about either a horizontal or vertical axis in accommodating curves or grades in the track while imposing upon one car any tendency for the other car to shift vertically or laterally, or rock about a longitudinal axis.

A futher object of the present invention is the provision of a car coupler which will force the cars to rock together so that when there arises any tendency for one car to rock, such motion is restrained by the inertia of the other car.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side View, certain parts being shown in section, of one form of our invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the left hand coupling member shown in Figure 1 and the central universal pivot block mounted in position;

Figure 3 is a side view of a modified form of our invention in which one of the casting members is made in two sections to facilitate coupling and uncoupling the cars; and

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the left hand coupling members shown, respectively, in Figures 1 and 3.

Referring now to Figure 1, the reference numeral I indicates the central supporting beam of the car. The supporting beam l is preferably in the form of a box girder, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5, and embodies top and bottom plates 4 and 5 suitably spaced apart and connected together by side plates 6 and l and associated angles 8, all of these plates and angles being securely riveted together to secure a strong sturdy supporting beam for the car, as is Well known.

The car coupling illustrated in Figure l includes a first casting or coupling member E including a generally rectangular body section II securely riveted, as at 12 and I3, to one end of the car beam I, being thus permanently secured in this manner to the car. The first casting member II] also includes a yoke section I which is provided with a pair of bearing arms l6 and H carrying bearing caps l9 and 20 adapted to be secured thereto by bolts 23. In the form of our invention shown in Figures 1 and 4, preferably the sections I l and I5 are formed as one integral piece or cast- The second coupling member is indicated in Figure 1 by the reference numeral 25 and similarly includes a body portion 28 disposed between the top, bottom and side plates 4, 5 and 6 of the beam l of the other car and a yoke section 21 having its upper and lower ends terminating in upper and lower bearing arms 29 and 30. Like the bearing arms [6 and H, the arms 29 and 30 are also provided with bearings caps BI and 32 secured to the associated arms by bolts 34.

The third element of the universal joint coupler in the modification shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4 is in the form of cruciform pivot block 35 having end portions 36, 37, 38, and 39 extending outwardly at substantially right angles to each other. The ends 38 and 39 are arranged to receive thrust washers 4! by which the ends 38 and 39 bear against the laterally inner sides of the bearing arms [6 and H. The bearing arms 16 and IT carry circular closure plates 43 to keep dust, dirt and the like from the studs or pins 4!], as best shown in Figure 1. A flange 45 is provided on the first casting member l0, and a similar flange 46 is carried by the other casting member 25, and these flanges are riveted to the transverse channels 48 on which the car floor is sup-- ported.

As best shown in Figure 2, the pivots 40, associated with the ends 33 and 39 of the pivot block 35, provide a horizontal axis about which the pivot block 35 can swing. The upper and lower end portions 36 and 31 of the cruciform block 35 are adapted to be received between the bearing arms 29 and 36, as best shown in Figure l, and thrust washers 50 are employed to transmit the vertical thrust from the cruciform block 35 to the yoke 27. The ends 36 and 31 of the block 35 carry a long pivot pin 52 which is secured in both the upper and lower bearing arms 29 and 353, being received and journaled for rotation in the bearing caps 3| and 32 and the associated portions of the bearing arms. A cap 53 is fastened, as by a screw, to the upper end of the pivot pin 52 and serves the purpose of keeping the pin 52 from dropping out of the bearing arms 29 and 36 and maintaining it against endwise displacement. It will be noted that the pivot pin 52 and the arms 29 and 30 provide for the swinging movement of the block 35 about a generally vertical axis as defined by the pin 52. Since, in the form of our invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the yoke sections l5 and 21 are preferably formed as an integral part of the body casting sections l I and 26, respectively, coupling and uncoupling the cars is accomplished by inserting and removing the pin 52.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 5, which illustrate another form of my invention, it will be observed that the casting member having the vertical yoke is of the same construction as the corresponding member shown in Figure 1, and for this reason the same reference numerals have been applied. Likewise, the cruciform pivot block is also of practically the same construction and the same reference numerals have been applied. As far as the pivot block 35 is concerned, in the form of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 5, the end portions 38 and 39 are not spaced quite so far apart as in the construction shown in Figure 2, as will hereinafter appear.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 3, it will be observed that the left hand casting member, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 66, comprises two separate sections, a body portion 6| and a yoke section 62. The body section 6! is disposed between the top, bottom and side plates of the car beam in the same manner as has been described above and is securely riveted in place so that the body section 6| becomes a part of the car. This section is preferably in the form of a casting, as is the yoke section 62 and the members [5 and 25 described above, and the casting body section 6| is provided with a pair of laterally spaced pins or studs 65 and 66. Each stud includes a head 61 which is welded or otherwise permanently secured to the boss 68 surrounding an opening 69 in the face of the member 6| so that, to all intents and purposes, the studs 66 and 61 are a permanent and rigid part of the car frame.

The base plate portion of the yoke 62 is provided with a pair of openings ll surrounded by a boss l2, and these openings are spaced apart laterally the same distance as the studs. 65 and 66. The outer ends of the latter are tapered, as indicated in Figure 5 at 13, for the purpose of facilitating the disposition of the yoke 62 on the studs 65 and 66. After the yoke 62 is in position, tapered wedges 15 are inserted in vertical slots formed in the studs 65 and 66 in such a manner that one edge of each of the wedges. 15 is disposed substantially vertically so as to bear uniformly against the associated boss 12 on the yoke base 52. The yoke 62 includes bearing arms and iii of substantially the same construction as described previously, including bearing caps 83 and 84 which receive pivot pins, similar tothe pins or studs 46 described above, carried by the ends 38 and 39 of the cruciform pivot block 35.

In this form of our invention coupling and uncoupling the cars can be easily done by inserting and removing the taper wedges 65 and i5 without disturbing the pivots of the universal joint itself.

While we have shown and described above the preferred construction in which principles of the present invention have been embodied, it is to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of our invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pair of cars having longitudinal frames in endwise alignment and a universal coupling between said frames comprising a pair of castings rigidly secured to the adjacent ends of the frames, each of said castings having yokes formed integral therewith, the yokes of one of said castings being disposed in a generally vertical position and the yokes of the other casting being disposed in a generally horizontal position, and a pivot block having pivots fixed with respect to each other and received directly by said yokes, respectively, to provide for permissive relative movement of one car frame with respect to the other only about said pivots and to prevent any relative rotation of one car frame with respect to the other about a generally longitudinal axis.

2. A pair of railroad cars having hollow central frame beams and a universal coupling between said cars comprising a pair of rigid casting members, each having a section rigidly secured to one end of the car beam and a yoke section terminating in parallel arms having journals therein, the arms on one of said sections being disposed generally horizontally, while the arms of the other section are disposed generally vertically, and a rigid universal block having studs adapted to be disposed in the journals of said arms and serving to connect the coupling members together so that rotation of one car about a generally longitudinal axis relative to the adjacent car is resisted by the adjacent car. 3. A pair of vehicles having longitudinal frame beams arranged in endwise alignment and universal coupling means between the adjacent ends of said beams comprising a pairof coupling casting members, each including a casting section rigidly secured to the end of the associated frame beam, each of said castings carrying means forming a universal yoke rigid with respect to the associated casting section and having longitudinally directed bearing arms, one of said yokes being disposed in general vertical position and the other of said yokes being disposed in a generally horizontal position and each of said bearing arms including a bearing cap, and a rigid pivot block having four right angularly disposed studs adapted to be engaged by said bearing arms and enclosed by the associated bearings caps.

4. A car coupling comprising a pair of coupling casting members, each including a casting section permanently and rigidly riveted to the ends of the car beams, each of said castings carrying means rigid therewith and forming a universal yoke and having longitudinally directed bearing arms, one of said yokes being disposed in general vertical position and the other of said yokes being disposed in a generally horizontal position and each of said bearing arms including a bearing cap, a rigid pivot block having a pair of oppositely extending studs adapted to be received by the bearing arms of one of said yokes and to be embraced by the associated bearing caps, said pivot block having a portion disposed between the bearing arms of the companion yoke, and a removable pin disposed in said last named hearing arms and said pivot block.

5. A car coupling comprising a pair of rigid casting members, each of said members including a casting section rigidly connected to the associated car and an integral yoke section having spaced longitudinally directed bearing arms, the arms of one casting member being disposed in a generally vertical position while the arms of the other casting member are disposed in a generally horizontal position, a rigid pivot block having radially extending right angularly disposed portions positioned in a transverse vertical plane between said arms, and pivot means carried by said block and received by said bearing arms, said pivot block being thereby arranged to transmit angular movement of one car about a generally longitudinal axis to the adjacent car whereby the cars coupled together can accommodate vertical and lateral curves in the road bed but rocking of one car about a generally longitudinal axis is resisted by the other car, said block remaining in said plane during all relative angular movement of said cars.

6. A car coupler comprising a casting member having a body portion adapted to be permanently secured to the beam of a car and an integral vertically disposed yoke having ends terminating in bearing arms, a two-section casting member, one section including a body portion adapted to be permanently secured to the beam of another car and having a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced connecting studs permanently secured to said casting section and the second casting section including a base portion having spaced apertures adapted to fit over said studs and having a pair of laterally spaced bearing arms, a universal pivot block having studs disposed with their axes at right angles and adapted to be received by said bearing arms, and means for securing said second casting section on said longitudinally extending studs.

7. A car coupler comprising a casting member having a body portion adapted to be permanently secured to the beam of a car and an integral vertically disposed yoke having ends terminating in bearing arms, a two-section casting member, one section including a body portion adapted to be permanently secured to the beam of another car and including a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced connecting studs permanently secured to said casting section and the second casting section including a base portion having spaced apertures adapted to fit over said studs and having a pair of laterally spaced bearing arms, a pivot block of cruciform shape having ends terminating in thrust surfaces arranged to bear vertically against said first mentioned bearing arms and to bear laterally against said second mentioned bearing arms, said pivot block having right angularly disposed studs carried by said ends and received for rotational movement in said bearing arms, and tapered pins disposed in apertures in said longitudinally extending studs for the purpose of securing said second casting section onto said longitudinally extending studs to complete the coupling of the cars together.

8. A carcoupler comprising a casting member having a body portion adapted to be permanently secured to the beam of a car and an integral yoke having ends terminating in a pair of spaced bearing arms, a two-section casting member, one section including a body portion adapted to be permanently secured to the beam of another car and having a pair of longitudinally extending connecting studs permanently secured to said casting section and the second casting section including a base portion having spaced apertures adapted to fit over said studs and having a pair of spaced bearing arms, a universal pivot block having studs disposed with their axes at right angles and adapted to be received by said pairs of bearing arms, and means for securing said second casting section on said first mentioned studs.

9. A car coupler comprising a casting member having a body portion adapted to be permanently secured to the beam of a car and an integral yoke having ends terminating in a pair of spaced bearing arms, a two-section casting member, one section including a body portion adapted to be permanently secured to the beam of another car and including a pair of longitudinally extending spaced connecting studs permanently secured to said casting section and the second casting section including a base portion having spaced apertures adapted to fit over said studs and having a pair of spaced bearing arms, a pivot block of cruciform shape having ends terminating in thrust surfaces arranged to bear against said first mentioned pair of bearing arms and said second mentioned bearing arms, said pivot block having right angularly disposed studs carried by said ends and received for rotational movement in said bearing arms, and tapered pins disposed in apertures in said first mentioned studs for the purpose of securing said second casting section onto said first mentioned studs to complete the coupling of the cars.

10. A pair of wheeled vehicles having longitudinal frames in endwise alignment and a universal coupling between said frames, said coupling comprising a fork member rigidly secured to each frame, the jaws of said fork members lying in planes at right angles to each other, respectively, with the intersection of said planes lying substantially in the longitudinal axis of said frames, and a rigid connecting member for said forks disposed in a transverse vertical plane which includes the jaws of said forks, said connecting member having pivotal mounting in the jaws of the forks and remaining in said vertical plane throughout relative vertical and horizontal angular movement of said vehicles.

11. A pair of wheeled vehicles having longitudinal frames arranged in end to end relation and a universal coupling between said frames comprising a pair of rigid connecting members rigidly secured, respectively, to the adjacent ends of said frames, a pair of pivots connected respectively to said members and establishing pivot axes at right angles to one another, and a rigid member serving to connect said pivots and retain said right angular relationship with said pivots all maintained in the same transverse vertical plane, whereby the vehicles are prevented from shifting bodily in a lateral or vertical direction with respect to each other.

12. A car coupler for a pair of railway cars having transverse end sills comprising cast bracket members rigidly secured to the end sill of ea'c'h oar andprojefoting toward each other, one of said members having a horizontally disposed yoke and the other having a vertically disposed yoke,- each of said 'yokes having longitudinally extending spaced arrns, bearing journals in the ends of the arms of each yoke and adapted to lie in the same transverse vertical plane when the cars are coupled, and a rigid universal coupling block disposed in said plane and projecting 

